Pro Auto Disk problem

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tcoz

tcoz

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This one really has me stumped. I've been loading 4.2gr of Bullseye in my 9mm rounds using a Lee Classic Turret press and the Pro Auto Disk powder measure. The .49 disk consistently drops 4.2gr, once in a while dropping 4.3gr, but not often. So far I've probably loaded 1200 rounds without a problem. All of a sudden tonight in the middle of a reloading session, it started dropping 3.9-4.0gr and then after about fifteen of those, it started dropping 3.6gr consistently, not 3.7 or 3.8, but 3.6 every single time. I took everything apart and cleaned it, then tried the .53 disk. It was also consistently dropping loads about 1.3gr lighter than usual. Everything appears to line up correctly so right now, I'm at a standstill. If anyone can shed some light on this, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.
 
Check the tension on the bead chain and be sure the spring at the end is compressing when the shellplate carririer returns to the bottom. Any slack in the chain may prevent full return of disk under the powder hopper wiper that will produce lighter/inconsistent powder fill.
 
Also check that the cavity in the disk lines up with the drop hole when the handle is fully depressed. You might have meant that that isn't the problem when you said "everything appears to line up correctly" but maybe not, and this is an easy thing to check and fix. A short down stroke can cause the cavity to only partly line up with drop hole resulting in a partial drop of powder.

This is more likely to happen if you've been switching between cases of different lengths recently or altering your technique (i.e. if you've switched how you are sitting so you're now bumping into your leg on the down stroke).

Good Luck,

Dan
 
The disk appears to line up properly but I'll check in the morning when the lighting is better. You mentioned that it's an easy thing to fix. How is that done?
 
I would take the hopper off, inspect and clean it. (wipe it down with a drier sheet.) Tear everything apart, check and clean. You may have an obstruction or static giving a problem. Once in a while you run into something like this and you just need to stop and check everything. You will find the problem. The auto disc is a pretty good system.
 
Take off the powder can and watch it function back and forth. The further the die part is screwed into the base of the turret, the farther forward the disc slides, the further out it is screwed in, the less forward it comes. Make sure the brass knobs are snug once you put it back together.

Russellc
 
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Make sure the hopper is in the fully open position. I also use an old Pacific beam scale to backup my electronic scale. If you are using an electronic scale, try replacing the battery.
 
I would throw it out in the road and drive over it and use a Lyman 55.
Click to expand...
Yay for people knowing nothing about what they speak. Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

-------------------


Check that the actuating lever that comes up underneath the disk(It makes the disk slide back and forth) is in the correct slot, it can be put in the wrong spot by accident.

Static maybe, you do wipe everything inside and out with a dryer sheet, yes?


When all else fails, check the instructions, or online videos to make sure you are assembling it correctly.





Ain't no chain bds, you are thinking pro 1000 or LM maybe.
 
RussellC said:
Take off the powder can and watch it function back and forth. The further the die part is screwed into the base of the turret, the farther forward the disc slides, the further out it is screwed in, the less forward it comes. Make sure the brass knobs are snug once you put it back together.

Russellc
Click to expand...

I've checked and rechecked everything else and think the system somehow isn't going through a full cycle of travel with each pull of the handle. I've noticed a very small pile of powder immediately behind the orifice of the disk when I carefully remove everything. I don't have a chain as the case pushes a plunger inside the die up thus releasing the powder each time. My question is that the flaring of my cases is perfect so if I screw the die in a little, won't that also add more flare, which it don't want?
 
nevadabob said:
Make sure the hopper is in the fully open position. I also use an old Pacific beam scale to backup my electronic scale. If you are using an electronic scale, try replacing the battery.
Click to expand...

I've checked the scale and it's fine. There's a noticeable difference in the powder level in the case between my usual 4.2gr load and the 3.6 that I'm getting now.
 
Look down inside the hopper at the hole the powder drains through to see if the hopper is fully open. The mark on the side that says on isn't all the way on. I turn my hopper until it stops and look down inside to make sure the holes line up perfectly. My auto disc won't dispense consistently unless I twist the hopper to the shop which is way past the on mark.

Also make sure when the ram is completely up that the disc is going a little past the dump hole so you not leaving any powder in the disc.

Also make sure the ram is going completely up, is the shell plate still touching the resizing die?

I took the chain off of mine and hung a 1oz fishing weight on the return lever. The press will run fine without it as long as the powder measure isn't to tight against the disc.

My auto disc has powder laying on it most of the time where it leaks a little. I've never worried about it since it dispenses consistently.
 
I'll totally ignore the above post, but add that I've been driving a BMW for over ten years that's been perfect and all of you who drive any less expensive car ie. piece of junk, shouldn't complain but instead spend more money to buy a more expensive quality automobile.....give me a break!

That being said, the cause of the problem appears to be the disk not fully traveling forward (on a full stroke) and not fully lining up with the hole to drop the powder through the die and into the case. I've looked at all obvious causes of this occurring, or not occurring and I can't figure it out. Any thoughts?
 
tcoz, the travel of the disk is controlled by screwing the die into or out of the turret. It should be adjusted so that when the ram is all the way to the top of its stroke the front for the disk is about even with the base. Strangely enough, that is usually where your flare is best too.
Sorry I don't have a photo to show it.
If it comes to a choice of accurate powder drop or flare, I will choose the powder drop every time.:) However, with a little fiddling I have always ended up with both.
You do, occasionally, have to fiddle with with the PAD. Unlike the Lyman where you just walk into the room and announce what weight of what powder you want and it automatically fills and adjusts itself.:)
 
dickttx, I decided to just pull my powder/flare die and do the adjustment process from the beginning again. I left the hopper off and just put the disk into position, figuring I'd get the flare just right and see what the disk did at that point. I got the flare adjusted just right and when I watched the disk move, the orifice now moves completely over the hole. I won't actually have a chance to test it until tonight, but I'm betting it'll be back to normal again. The thing I don't understand is that my flare remained the same through the entire light powder drop episode and it seems exactly the same now, but the disk is moving further with the stroke. I just hope it works. Thanks to everybody for helping out.
 
I use the spring return on my auto disks. After many many thousands of rounds it got to where the disk was not getting full travel and dumping all the powder on the big holes. I was stumped for a while, then I realized that the aluminum base had worn down from the pivoting of the F shaped piece the spring is attached to on it. I used a small bent cotter pin and some jb weld to build back the worn area and it works great again.

I'm by no means certain that that is your problem, but it might be 1 more thing to check out if nothing else is working for you.
 
tcoz said:
I've checked and rechecked everything else and think the system somehow isn't going through a full cycle of travel with each pull of the handle. I've noticed a very small pile of powder immediately behind the orifice of the disk when I carefully remove everything. I don't have a chain as the case pushes a plunger inside the die up thus releasing the powder each time. My question is that the flaring of my cases is perfect so if I screw the die in a little, won't that also add more flare, which it don't want?
Click to expand...
I adjust it in until the hole is squarely over the drop hole. I have had no probs with too much flaring, which seems to happen more with my 9mm cases. Anyway, that's the way the instructions I read somewhere said to do it. It is the only way to adjust how far the disc can slide out. The only cases I have over flared was one I was using to catch powder dumps while manually test weighing a load or emptying the can, or just running a few cycles to get it going. That case had been through it several times, and I still loaded it tight!

Russellc
 
Same thing happened to me except a little worse. I never cleaned or lubed mine and the spring did not returned the disc all the way back to refill completely.
I never loaded a squib but came quite close as it got worse.
You have to take it apart and clean it just like you do your dies every thousand rounds or so. I also put a q-tip up the shaft to remove any built up stuff on the inside too. Yes, stuff builds up inside the drop tube too!
I use the return spring also, you have to keep the shaft lubed so it will reset all the way.
I've been using one of these for ten years now with my loadmaster. I don't consider it a piece of junk but its not maintenance free either.

For the guy who really likes the Lyman 55, is it case activated? And will it work with my powder drop dies? Its only about $30 more and if it works well I would certainly try it out. As all of us know the Lee Powder disc setup uses a flare/powder drop die and I don't know any other powder measure that will work with these. [please don't suggest the perfect powder measure]
 
I had a similar problem and discovered the inside of the drop tube was rusted and rough. Sort of like high cholesterol inside the tube. A little sanding and a coat of paste wax seems to have helped a great deal.

FWIW I like my Lyman 55 and my RCBS Uniflow too, but they don't work with my powder thru expander dies.
 
I'd like to try that Lyman, or any other also, if it's such a humdinger, but not if you cant use it with a powder thru.

Are Lee the only folks who make a measure like that? (case activated/powder thru die)
 
tcoz,
The only thing I can think of that you might not have checked is the little rubber o-ring that sits above the threads on the powder measure. If this has slipped down the powder measure might feel tight but may not be screwed all the way into the die. I use a turret and the motion of the turret head will sometimes cause the powder measure to start backing out of the die.
 
I was wondering what everyone was going to use to run over their measures ?I have a truck but thought about using a tractor.I have six should I run over them all in one pile or spread them out.Thanks goodness for the internet I've used them for years didn't know they were junk I feel like a fool should have known.Never used spaghetti powder in them maybe thats why they worked so good for years.:p
 
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